Islam means "complete peace", i.e., peace within our souls, peace within our communities, peace with all human beings, and peace in the entire world. Islam also means "complete submission to the Will of God", the purpose of which is to reach the knowledge, realization, and nearness of God resulting in a profound spiritual state of inner peace, bliss, and wisdom in which one finds answers to all questions of life. This in turn transforms one to live a life of service to God and humanity with utmost sincerity and selflessness.

A TRADITION OF PROPHET MUHAMMAD [Peace Be Upon Him] ABOUT 3 LEVELS OF ISLAM:
Narrated by Omar (May God be Pleased with him): One day while we were sitting with the messenger of God "Allah" is the personal name of God in Islam), there appeared before us a man whose clothes were exceedingly white and whose hair was exceedingly black; no signs of journeying were to be seen on him and none of us knew him. He walked up and sat down by the Prophet. Resting his knees against his and placing the palms of his hands on his thighs, he said:"O Muhammad, tell me about Islam". The messenger of God said: "Islam is to testify that there is no god but God and Muhammed is the messenger of God, to perform the prayers, to pay the Zakat (helping the needy financially), to fast in [the month of] Ramadan, and to make the pilgrimage to the House [of God i.e. the sacred mosque in Mecca] if you are able to do so." He said: "You have spoken rightly", and we were amazed at him asking [the Prophet] and saying that he had spoken rightly. He said: "Then tell me about Iman." He (the Prophet) said: "It is to believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and to believe in Divine destiny, both the good and the evil thereof." He said: "You have spoken rightly". He said: "Then tell me about Ihsan." He (the Prophet) said: "It is to worship God as though you are seeing Him, and while you see Him not yet truly He sees you". Then he took himself off and I stayed for a time. Then he (the Prophet) said: "O Omar, do you know who the questioner was?" I said: "God and His messenger know best". He (the Prophet) said: He was Jibrael (Archangel Gabriel), who came (in human form) to you to teach you your religion. (Taken from Hadith [Traditions of Prophet Muhammad] collection "Sahih Muslim").

According to Islamic scholars, this event took place 45 days before the death of Prophet Muhammad [PBUH]. By that time, the Divine revelation of entire Quran (Islamâs holy book believed to be revealed by God to Prophet Muhammad [PBUH] over a period of 23 years) was completed and the famous verses of Quran were revealed saying: Today, I have completed the Deen (Path to God) for you, completed My Favor upon you, and have named it (i.e. the Path to God) "Islam" (Quran: Chapter 5, Verse 3). In the above hadith, God told Prophet Muhammad through Archangel Gabriel (Jibrael) that Islam has the following three levels:

1. ISLAM - The first level of Islam is also called "Islam" and it refers to following the teachings of Islam for conducting our outward lives, i.e., acts of worship, dealings with people, individual and collective social responsibilities, moral and ethical teachings etc., all things that can be observed by an external eye. This level is considered to be Islam's horizontal dimension and it's the foundation of the Islamic faith.
2. IMAN - The second level of Islam is called "Iman" or faith and certitude in God and beliefs and it refers to the beliefs that a Muslim should have along with an effort to increase oneâs certitude in God and in His Guidance in all matters of life by sincerely acquiring knowledge and applying it in our daily lives causing a deepening of one's faith in God until no doubt is left about God and His Guidance. This level is considered to be the vertical dimension of Islam that gives Islam its height.
3. IHSAN - The third level of Islam is called "Ihsan" or spirituality symbolized by Prophet's words: "Worship God as if you see Him, and while you see Him not yet [have a living perpetual consciousness that] truly He sees you". This means that a complete Muslim is either in a state of witnessing God with the eye of oneâs spirit or [if one is not able to reach such lofty spiritual state then one is] in a state of perpetual contemplation that one is forever in God's sight. This spirituality is achieved through concerted efforts to beautify one's soul by ridding oneâs heart and soul of all evil qualities like anger, hatred, jealousy, envy, arrogance, greed, injustice, impatience, egoism, racism, fanaticism, extremism, self-righteousness, vengeance, hard-heartedness, ignorance, cowardliness, entertaining evil thoughts, lust for fame/control/power, and all negative traits and tendencies; and by beautifying one's soul by developing all good qualities like love, patience, gratitude, forgiveness, kindness, compassion, generosity, humility, sincerity to God and to all human beings, trust in God, Divine remembrance, inner purity, all positive traits and tendencies, consequently developing an intimate relationship with God thus receiving Divine protection and guidance in all matters of life. This level is considered to be Islamâs third dimension that gives Islam its depth and beauty. It is the highest level of Islam that one strives to reach in order to realize full human potential by completely eliminating darkness within one's soul and consequently receiving the Divine light of wisdom in which one finds answers to all questions of life such as who I am, where have I come from, where am I heading to, what is the purpose of life, why God created everything, and what really is true happiness and success. This is where the sincere seekers of God attain a state of God-realization (i.e. gnosis which is the pinnacle of spiritual achievement) resulting in total inner peace and an endless bliss. Interestingly, this highest level of Islam is also the least understood by many Muslims.

These 3 levels of Islam are being presented here and explained through following 3 short books audio books:

1. "Nurul Idah" is a book of jurisprudence that explains all basic matters such as matters related to purification, prayers, fasting, zakat (obligatory poor-due) and Hajj (once in a lifetime pilgrimage to the Sacred House of God).
2. "Kitab ul Aqaid" (Book of Beliefs) taken from Imam Ghazali's masterpiece "Ihya Uloom ud Deen" (Revival of the Knowledges of the Path to God) that outlines the beliefs that a Muslim should have and how to achieve certitude in God and in His guidance.
3. "Tabligh-e-Deen" taken from the first 3 chapters of Imam Ghazali's masterpiece "Al-Arba'een fi Usul id Deen" (40 Principles of the Path to God), is a short manual of spirituality that briefly elucidates steps needed to proceed on one's own spiritual journey. This book in PDF format can be found in Imam Ghazali website at http://www.ghazali.org/urdu .

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